Ramp on Eastern Express Highway to cut short travel time to South Mumbai

Once completed, the 700-metre long approach road to the ramp, will make the commute to South Mumbai via Eastern Express Highway faster

Commuters living in Sion and nearby areas, who use the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) to travel to South Mumbai, might be able to cut down on their travel time by 30 minutes from May by using the ramp which is being constructed ahead of Bhakti Park.

At present, cars are illegally plying on the underconstruction road. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Sharad Sabnis, chief engineer with Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), told sunday mid-day, “The ramps are already in place but the approach road that goes towards the ramps will take some time.

We have to first make a proper base for the roads as they are made of marine clay surface, which takes time to settle. We are confident that people will be able to use the ramp by May.” The ramps will be connected to the 700-metre long road that will joint Wadala Truck Terminus road to the Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) road. While the construction of the ramp was complete by December, the approach road is taking time as the land is marshy.

Full speed aheadAt present, commuters have to take a creek bridge at Anik Junction and travel almost 1.5 km in the opposite direction towards Panjarpol and then take a U-turn under RCF flyover to go towards South Mumbai.

Commuters coming from Thane have to take a right turn at Chheda Nagar junction and take a ramp on Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road (GMLR) to use the highway.

The 16.4 km EEH starts at Orange Gate on PD’Mello and ends at Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road. Commuters from eastern suburbs, Thane and Pune can reach South Mumbai in just 15 to 20 minutes, using these ramps, as against 45 to 60 minutes using Dr Ambedkar road.